01x05 - Girl in the Flower Dress

[bunniefuu]

1x05 - Girl in the Flower Dress

Outside on a bay area with boats, and then busy street, and then into a night market. The screen tells us that we are in Hong Kong, China.

A man stands with a small crowd around him.

[indistinct talking]

MAN [in Cantonese]: My grandfather often said that every man is a mystery. Some men harbor beautiful secrets.

He does the whole "there's nothing up my sleeve" thing.

MAN: Others hide darker ones.

He blows into his hands. When he opens them, an egg is there.

MAN: He believed the only way to know a man’s true nature is to pierce his outer shell.

He takes the egg into his right hand and closes a fist around it.

MAN: And gaze within.

He makes a move as if he’s going to throw the egg. The woman in the path of his toss moves aside. However, instead of the egg, silver streamers come flying out from his hand.

[audience laughing, clapping]

YOUNG MAN IN AUDIENCE [in Cantonese]: Lame trick

YOUNG WOMAN IN AUDIENCE [in Cantonese]: They were in the egg.

[indistinct chatter in Cantonese]

The man doing magic looks at his nearly empty tip jar with worry. He looks up into the audience to see a beautiful woman (Ruth Negga!) in a flower dress smiling at him.

He opens his palm and a small ball of fire appears in it. The girl in the flower dress gasps lightly.

MAN: This is not a trick.

He throws the ball at the couple who disparaged him previously. The flames burn out right before reaching them. The crowd reacts quite favorably to this trick.

[applause]

[coins clattering against each other in tip jar]

The girl in the flower dress approaches the man.

FLOWER DRESS [in English]: How did you do that?

MAN [in English]: A magician never reveals his secrets.

FLOWER DRESS: Then I'll have to pierce your shell and gaze within?

MAN: You understood.

They shake hands.

MAN: Chan Ho Yin.

FLOWER DRESS: Raina. I would love to see that fire trick again.

CHAN: I don't think that's a good idea.

RAINA: Of course not. It's a great idea.

INT: Chan's place

[keys jingling]

[door opening]

[lightswitch flicking on]

CHAN: I am sorry for the clutter. I'm in between places.

[door closes]

RAINA: How long have you been here?

CHAN: Six years. Beer?

She nods. He goes into the kitchen to get beer as she looks around.

[bottles clinking]

He hands her a beer.

RAINA: You seem to have an appreciation for the greats.

On the wall are two posters for Houdini

CHAN: I idolized him for many years.

RAINA: And now?

CHAN: There's no real magic there, just tricks.

RAINA: And what you do ... those aren't tricks?

They share a little smile.

RAINA: Show me.

CHAN: I'm sorry. [chuckles] I really shouldn't.

RAINA: Says who? What are you afraid of?

CHAN: It's not me who's afraid.

He opens his hand. Fire appears once more

RAINA: [gasps] That can't be real.

CHAN: See for yourself.

Raina reaches out to touch it, and, yep, it's real.

RAINA: [gasps] How long have you been able to—

CHAN: First time was a few years ago. A dish towel caught fire in my hands. I almost b*rned down my entire apartment.

RAINA: [breathes sharply] And it doesn't hurt?

CHAN: Not even a little.

He closes his fist and puts out the flame.

RAINA: You have a gift. I've never seen anything like it. Why not show the world?

CHAN: I ask that same question every day. There are people who... Never mind. It's just — for years, I did illusions, tricks, like the rest. And then this happens. It's real — real magic. If I believed in such things, I would say it was a miracle, that this happened for a reason.

RAINA: I believe you've been chosen.

CHAN: You do?

She steps closer.

RAINA: Close your eyes...

He does, smiling.

RAINA: ...and I'll show you.

[b*at]

RAINA: That'll do.

Chan opens his eyes. Raina is flanked by men in flame-resistant hazmat suits.

[action music]

Chan runs. They follow. A fight ensues.

[grunting]

[thunk] as Chan gets knocked out.

[Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. title card]

Your classic The Bus Is In The Air, The Episode Is Starting, We Are On A Mission Now establishing sh*t.

[engines roaring]

Ward: Every decision you make from here on out has consequences. So be warned ...

INT: Bus lounge area

WARD: ... the kiddie gloves are off.

SKYE: G7.

Ward looks like he's just been told someone's grandmother passed away.

WARD: Hit.

SKYE: Yes! Ha!

They're playing Battleship. It's really cute.

SKYE: So, explain to me again what this has to do with my training.

WARD: It's important for every S.O. to evaluate their student's thought process.

SKYE [incredulously]: Mm-hmm.

WARD: And I like board games. B10.

SKYE: Nope. This isn't thinking. This is stabbing in the dark, but it's nice to take a break from the workouts.

WARD: Well. You deserve a break.

This is shocking to Skye. Praise! From Ward! What!

WARD: I got to give Coulson credit. I would have never pegged an Ex-Rising Tide hacker as a good fit, but... you're picking things up pretty fast.

SKYE: Did you just give me a compliment?

WARD: I ... no, I made a comment.

SKYE: A kind one.

He shrugs.

SKYE: Did it physically hurt to do that? Do you need an ice pack?

[both laugh]

SKYE: Wow! A compliment and a smile!

WARD: Comment.

SKYE: I don't want to ruin the moment, but I'm gonna have to respond with ... G4.

Ward returns to his oh-my-goodness-a-sad-death-has-occurred look. Skye looks positively chuffed.

SKYE: Say it, Ward.

[he sighs]

SKYE (leaning closer): Say it.

WARD [low, mumbling]: You sank my battleship.

SKYE: [laughs] Yes!

Ward starts to reset his board.

WARD: All right, best 2 out of 3.

SKYE: I b*at you.

WARD: Best 2 out of 3.

We see Coulson and May in the doorway, watching them.

SKYE: Best I just won out of nothing.

COULSON: She's fitting in nicely.

Skye and Ward are arguing playfully (slash flirting? ~Flirting?~)

MAY: Gloating?

COULSON: A little.

MAY: You were up early this morning. Heard you puttering around even before I started Tai Chi. Having trouble sleeping?

COULSON: No, I feel great. Just have a little extra energy to burn.

MAY (smiling a little): If you want, I could lay out the mats downstairs. We could go a few rounds, like the old days?

[they chuckle softly]

[alert on a nearby screen beeping]

MAY: Saved by the bell.

INT: Bus briefing room. The team stands around the holotable, on which there is a picture of Chan.

COULSON: Chan Ho Yin. Just a struggling street performer until a few years ago, when Mr. Chan began to exhibit moderate pyrokinetic abilities.

FITZ: So what gave him powers?

CHAN: It's still under investigation, but Chan did live near the decommissioned Wan Tai nuclear plant when it caught fire. To our knowledge, no other nearby residents have exhibited similar traits.

SIMMONS: So how did we find out about him?

MAY: Informant saw him lighting torches in a street show ... with his pinkie.

COULSON: Brought it to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s attention. We told him to keep his abilities under wraps. He's been on the Index ever since.

SKYE: The Index?

SIMMONS: It's a list S.H.I.E.L.D. keeps of people and objects with powers.

SKYE: Wait. What? How many are there? Are you saying there are more people—

MAY (shaking her head): Not many.

SKYE: Well, enough to keep a list.

COULSON: A short list, meant to protect them.

WARD: Though, in rare cases, S.H.I.E.L.D. has had to take action.

SKYE: Action against objects or people?

She gets back a Look that tells her the answer is a little more putting-down-the-sick-dog than baby-proofing-the-house.

SKYE: Well, that's drastic with a side of creepy. How are they monitored ... Tapped phones, satellite surveillance, body probes in dark, unpleasant places?

Simmons grimaces.

FITZ (shaking his head): Body probes? Now, that's ridiculous. S.H.I.E.L.D. doesn't do that. We don't do that. (to Coulson) Do we?

COULSON: The methods vary.

Skye's face screams "are you kidding me".

COULSON: Mr. Chan was low-risk. He was assigned a case agent who checked in with him every few days.

May pulls up a FaceTime-type communication on the big monitor.

COULSON: That's how we discovered him missing.

MAY [in Cantonese]: Hello, Agent Kwan. How are you?

The feed shows him inside Chan's house, the scene of the incident.

KWAN [in Cantonese]: Not as good as I could be.

MAY (to the team) [in English]: Everyone, this is agent Kwan, Chan Ho Yin's case agent.

Fitz-Simmons and Skye (the Bus kids) wave.

MAY (to Kwan): What can you tell us?

KWAN [in English]: Not much, I'm afraid. Chan is a magician, so at first, I thought he'd made himself disappeared.

COULSON: The file says you'd caught him violating his Index agreement before.

KWAN: On two separate occasions ... claimed we were "hampering his artistic expression." But late last night, he was taken by professionals. The only thing they left behind was this scrap of aluminized material.

He holds it up. Simmons leans in towards the screen to peer at it.

SIMMONS: Fireproof clothing.

WARD: So whoever took him knew about his power.

KWAN: Yes, and we think we know why. Over the last few days, tech division discovered a cr*ck into our data stream. It's the same cyber punks who hacked us before. Somehow, they got in again. It's the Rising Tide.

Heads turn. Skye is the focal point.

KWAN: Hello? It got real quiet. [tapping at his tablet] You guys still there?

INT: Coulson's office on the Bus. Skye defends herself to Coulson and Ward.

SKYE: The Rising Tide is a huge organization of hacktivists from all around the world. Any of them could have done this! It wasn't me.

WARD: No one's saying it was.

SKYE: But you're thinking it. I can see your faces thinking it.

COULSON: We're assessing the situation.

SKYE: Then I'm sure you're taking into account that I have been living on a plane with you this whole time. It would be impossible for me to hack S.H.I.E.L.D.

COULSON: Or easier. We're gonna need more than that.

SKYE: Fine. Let me trace the hack, and I'll prove it.

WARD: I believe her, sir. And if she's telling the truth, we need to track down the person responsible.

COULSON: Dig up something, and fast. The longer Mr. Chan's missing, the more danger he's in.

INT: ??? hotel bedroom ??? we don't know

Chan wakes up lying on a bed. We see a flower dress in the mirror.

RAINA: Good morning, Chan.

Chan gets up swiftly.

CHAN: What the hell?

RAINA: I apologize for last night. It was important I bring you in under the radar.

CHAN: Oh. S.H.I.E.L.D. Tell Agent Kwan I don't need to be read the power protocols again. It was just a street performance — it's not like I set anyone on fire.

RAINA: I don't work for S.H.I.E.L.D. I come as a friend.

CHAN: English isn't my first language, but that word means something different than you think.

RAINA: I understand your frustration, but I believe you have a gift. And if you let me, I'd like to help you nurture it. I can increase it. You'll get people's attention then.

CHAN: Increase my power? Why? What's the catch?

RAINA: I'd like to run some tests.

CHAN: There it is. Now, will you let me go, or must I fight my way out?

RAINA: Leave now, and I'll forget you, I promise, but so will everyone else.

This causes Chan to pause. Who among us doesn't want to be known?

RAINA: Stay, and you can be remembered, known the world over.

CHAN: You want to make Chan Ho Yin a famous name?

RAINA: No. You need a simpler name, a — a more powerful name, a name like... Scorch.

CHAN: Scorch? Are you joking?

RAINA: Have you ever heard of Steve Rogers? No. But Captain America ... now, he's on the news, on a lunchbox, on a poster on the wall.

CHAN: I don't want to be a superhero.

RAINA: You want to be recognized. For your gift. And who is more recognizable than them?

CHAN: I was given this power for a reason. I just want people to see what I can do.

RAINA: They will. All I want is what you want: for you to be remembered, to be seen for what you're meant to be ...

She moves closer.

RAINA: ...a star. [she laughs lightly]

CHAN: Scorch. (he nods) It's growing on me.

[Raina chuckles]

INT: Bus briefing room. Skye is busy with his computers. Fitz has either a crush on her or the computers — or both, knowing him. Simmons is watching Skye as well. Coulson walks in.

[table beeping]

COULSON: How close are we?

SKYE: Almost there.

May and Ward are standing on the other side of the room.

FITZ: She's identified the remote-access Trojan and the infected endpoint—

SIMMONS: And is searching for a TCP to correlate the hypertext with signature information and then—

FITZ (at the same time as Simmons): Bob's your uncle.

SIMMONS (at the same time as Fitz): Voilá!

COULSON (to Ward): You get any of that?

WARD: Only the uncle part.

SKYE: We got our origin: Austin, Texas.

Skye pulls it up on the map on the table monitor.

COULSON: You got a name?

SKYE: Just the café our hacker worked out of, but I'm in the system. I'm gonna check to see if any credit card charges from that day match up with any known hackers.

[beep]

SKYE: We got a hit.

A picture of the culprit is brought up on the holotable.

FITZ: Miles Lydon, not Skye ... that's to all of our relief.

COULSON (to Skye): You know him?

SKYE: Every hacker in the world knows him.

SIMMONS: Not just the hacker world. He infiltrated the Kremlin.

FITZ: Yeah, the picture of, uh, Putin shirtless on horseback — that was his hack.

[Fitz-Simmons laugh]

WARD: It was also his hack that got Chan kidnapped.

May taps at her tablet.

COULSON: May, set a course for Austin.

MAY: Just did.

SKYE: What about Chan?

COULSON: Kwan's got a S.H.I.E.L.D. team on the ground. Our best bet is to chase this thing from the other end. Find Mr. Lydon, bring him in. See what he knows.

Everyone but Skye starts to exit, Fitz bringing up the rear and sh**ting Skye a painfully cute smile.

[engines roaring]

Outside. Austin, Texas. Skye walks down the street, talking into her earpiece

SKYE: Just left the café where Miles logged in. Cashier says she hasn't seen him in over a week.

WARD (over comms): I may have eyes on him.

We cut to Ward. He's outside as well, standing on a street corner. He sees Miles. Miles also sees him. A chase begins.

WARD: I've been made. Heading East on 5th street.

Miles gets into a car.

WARD: Target is now in a silver Jetta.

[tires screeching]

COULSON (over comms): I got him.

[tires screeching]

Car chase time!

MILES (in car): All right, suit. You asked for it.

He hits something on his phone that says "gridlock.mp4".

[beeps]

MILES: Gridlock protocol.

Computer code comes up on his phone, running a program. All the lights everywhere turn green. Car chaos ensues.

[horns honking]

[tires screech]

[Coulson sighs] as his [car is hit] from the back.

COULSON: I lost him.

INT: Miles's place

[door locking]

SKYE: You sure they're not following you?

MILES: Yeah. Had to pull out all the stops, though. Thanks for the text. Wait, are you mad?

SKYE: Are you kidding me? I don't have much time. Who did you leak those files to?

MILES: Wait a second. What? "Good to see you, too, Miles." I released them into the world, where they belong.

SKYE: They'll keep hunting you unless they have someone else to look for. And why the hell would you hack S.H.I.E.L.D.?

MILES: Because that's what we do.

SKYE: Not when I'm on the inside. You could have ruined everything, you dumbass.

MILES: Seems like you handled it.

SKYE: [scoffs] I've come too far for you to —

She trails off. Miles is looking at her, smiling.

SKYE: Why are looking at me like that?

MILES: Did you just call me "dumbass"?

SKYE (also smiling): Stop smiling. I'm serious.

MILES: Because I taught you everything you know, so what does that make you?

SKYE (talking over him): No, you didn't.

MILES: I'm sorry. I can't help it. I've been missing you like crazy.

[kiss]

[laughs]

Clothing starts to come off before we go to a tastefully timed commercial break. We come back to Skye pulling her bra strap back over her shoulder. She takes the small SD card she took from her van in 1x01 out of her bra and looks at it for a second before tucking it back into her bra.

MILES: That's where you keep that, huh?

SKYE: Better safe than busted.

MILES: Making any progress on that?

SKYE: I'm digging, but your little stunt is gonna make it harder. [sighs] Where's my top?

MILES: You know, I could be helping you. If you send me ciphertext, I could be working on algorithms —

SKYE: No, I can't contact you. I never should have. There's a S.H.I.E.L.D. team looking for you right now — my team. And if they suspect something, I'm screwed.

MILES: There's a joke here that I'm resisting that involves the word "screwed."

SKYE: [laughs] Shut up. There's a guy in trouble because of you, and I got to get back. So if you want to help me, help me find my clothes.

She gets out of bed. He grabs her arm.

MILES: Hey. I'm sorry, Skye. Really, I am, if I messed anything up.

SKYE: I've missed you. Me, too. But we talked about this when I left for L.A. I've got a chance here. So S.H.I.E.L.D.'s off-limits, okay?

MILES: Okay.

Miles lets go of Skye's arm. She looks for her clothes. He starts to help out.

MILES: At least tell me what it's like. Come on, the belly of the beast.

SKYE: Surprisingly... unbeastly. I've got good people I'm working with.

MILES: Some good stories, though, I hope?

Miles throws Skye her pants. She catches them.

SKYE: [chuckles] Miles. You have no idea. But that's classified.

MILES: You did not just say that to me!

[Skye laughs]

MILES: Come on, you got to tell me something.

SKYE: Someday.

MILES: Well, if they ever let you go on leave or whatever, let me know, and I'll get us a suite at the ... fancy hotel that has suites, and you can regale me with stories while naked.

SKYE: A suite? You? That's funny. But they're never gonna let me go on anything if I don't find my stupid ...

She opens the door to the bedroom. May is there. She's holding both Skye's shirt and her rage in.

SKYE: ...top.

MAY: Get. Dressed.

We cut to a little later on. Everyone is in Miles' place.

SKYE: I know how this looks—

Coulson cuts her off by raising a finger. He finishes reading the folder he has with him.

[paper flipping]

COULSON: How long have you two been in contact?

SKYE: I contacted him once the day I joined to tell him I was okay and once earlier today.

COULSON: When you tipped off an active suspect?

SKYE: No, it's not like that. Miles and I ... we met when we were both a little screwed up. Scratch that — he was a little screwed up, I was a lot. But we looked after one another. That's why I warned him, not because we're working together on this, but because we're... friends.

[b*at]

SKYE: I'm really sorry.

COULSON: Noted. If not you, then who is Mr. Lydon working with?

SKYE: No one. He's an idealist, believes in freedom of information.

COULSON: That information cost a man his freedom, and you sabotaged our attempts to remedy that.

SKYE: No, I came here to find out what Miles knows about Chan.

COULSON: And?

SKYE: Nothing. Miles is a dead end. He's harmless.

COULSON: We'll see.

SKYE: Really, I was gonna find out everything I could to try to help. I just — I felt like I couldn't tell you guys everything.

COULSON: I know. That's why I asked May to follow you. Seems that wasn't a dead end.

FITZ (whispered, to Simmons): Why would Skye do this to us for him? I thought she was our friend.

SIMMONS (whispered, to Fitz): I think she is, Fitz. But he's just obviously more than that.

FITZ (whispered, to Simmons) Yeah, but we've been through so much together, and she didn't even tell us that she has a guy.

SIMMONS (whispered, to Fitz): Well, who knows what they've been through together?

Fitz gives her a look and then returns to fiddling with his computer.

MAY: The classified information you stole from us — who did you give it to?

MILES: It's information. It has a life of its own.

MAY: What happened to Mr. Chan?

MILES: I don't know who that is, so why don't you tell me?

[glass shatters, clattering outside bedroom door]

MILES: So, are you guys just gonna destroy all my stuff?

MAY: Yes.

[door opens] and Coulson comes in.

COULSON: Anything?

May shakes her head.

MILES: I don't have to talk to you.

COULSON (to May): Take him in.

She pulls him into the living room.

COULSON (to the rest of the crew): Gather all the evidence and secure the prisoners. We got what we were looking for here. We're going to Hong Kong.

Fitz-Simmons gather up their things. Ward goes over to Skye.

SKYE: I'm so sorry, Ward. This is not what it looks like.

WARD (talking over Skye): Hands.

Ward cuffs Skye.

WARD: Now get up.

[Skye sighs] and follows him to the door, passing Fitz-Simmons as they go.

SIMMONS (leaning over, quietly, to Skye): Uh, you missed a button.

[Skye sighs again] as she looks down at her shirt.

EXT: ??? building in Hong Kong, and then we cut to INT: building. Lab of some sort.

CHAN: What is this big place, Raina? And who are these guys?

RAINA: They'll assist you with anything you need.

He looks at a monitor set up nearby.

RAINA: We're here to monitor your vitals while we observe your powers. And it's big because we'll need the space.

Raina points to someone in the lab who is pulling some liquid out of a vial and into a syringe.

RAINA: This serum strengthens the cytoskeleton within each cell of your body. One dose, and you'll feel incredible ... until it wears off.

CHAN: And it will wear off?

RAINA: Yes. But the effects in average subjects have been impressive. In you, I'm excited to see.

CHAN (to man w/ needle): What do you think of the name "scorch"?

The man injects the serum.

[Chan gasps]. He seems to be in pain

RAINA: Breathe.

[breathes deeply]

RAINA: Feel it? Now let's see what you can do.

He opens his hand. The ball of fire that appears is much bigger than before.

CHAN: Whoa.

[fire crackling]

He plays with fire and even throws it at someone in the distance.

[clatter]

CHAN: [chuckling] Oh, sorry! You almost got scorched. [laughs] This is incredible. Whoo! (to Raina) You are a beautiful angel, you know that?

RAINA: Your power is an amazing gift.

CHAN: And S.H.I.E.L.D. wouldn't let me use it. But thanks to you, the whole world can finally see what I can do. From now on, nobody holds me back.

[deep breath] as he makes fire and throws it with a [grunt].

[engines roaring]

Bus Establishing sh*t, and then the Cage. Skye and Miles are both in there. Miles tugs on his cuffs.

MILES: [grunts] So, I guess due process isn't really S.H.I.E.L.D. protocol.

SKYE: They don't have time for it.

MILES: Whoa, are you defending them? These people are denying our basic rights.

SKYE: This isn't about us. They're trying to save someone's life.

MILES: Listen to yourself. That's what they always say to justify invading privacy, Skye. These people stand for everything we despise — secrets, censorship —

SKYE: Enough with the manifesto, Miles.

MILES: We can't let them get away with it!

INT: briefing room. Ward watches the monitor of the Cage.

MILES: Manning, Snowden, Aaron Swartz ... these are modern-day revolutionaries.

SKYE: This has nothing to do with that. You leaked —

Ward hits a button on the table.

[computer beeps]

The feed goes out. We see Fitz-Simmons in the room as well.

WARD: Guy's hiding behind platitudes. He's dirty. I can feel it.

SIMMONS: [sighs] Scrubbed clean, actually — nothing much on him. He's got no family records. His apartment's under an alias. And he plays a lot of Minecraft, where he runs a rather nasty mob.

FITZ: Is it — is it zombie?

SIMMONS: Zombie pigmen.

They share the look of two Minecraft players who think that this is Serious Minecraft Business.

WARD (clearly not a gamer): Keep looking.

INT: Coulson's office on the Bus. He and May are watching the feed of the Cage

COULSON: Go ahead. Say it.

MAY: I don't do petty.

COULSON: But you called it. I trusted my gut, even though you said she was a risk.

MAY: When someone breaks into my house, I usually don't invite them to stay, but that's me.

COULSON: That was me, too. Then that alien staff went through my heart.

MAY: Sure it didn't go through the brain?

COULSON: You really don't do comforting, either, do you?

MAY: What is your gut telling you now?

Coulson glances a video feed of the Cage.

COULSON: That she's still hiding something.

Simmons rushes in.

SIMMONS: Sir, we found some evidence.

INT: Cage. Ward enters. Skye sits up straighter when he does.

WARD (to Miles): She's been defending you, saying you're a stand-up guy.

He shows them an envelope he's holding.

WARD: So I'm going to give you a chance. Do you want to tell her, or should I?

He puts the envelope down on the table with a [thwup].

MILES: I don't have to listen to you —

WARD: There goes your chance. (to Skye) Your boyfriend here made a few deposits in the days following the leak.

Ward starts laying out receipts from the envelope (like, literal physical receipts).

WARD: All said, it's about a million dollars.

SKYE: What?

WARD: Real stand-up guy.

MILES: I can explain —

SKYE: Did you sell information?

[silence]

SKYE: Miles? Yes or no?

[double silence]

Did you?!

MILES: Yes, but —

[restraints rattle] as Skye tries to jump him.

SKYE: Ohh! You are so dead. What the hell were you thinking?!

MILES: It was a million dollars. A million dollars. It would change my life — our lives. And that woman was harmless. I looked into it.

SKYE: No one with good intentions pays that kind of money for information! Did you ever think about that?!

MILES: Of course I did. I would never have done it if I thought —

WARD: Who is the woman you referred to?

RAINA: A fan of the Rising Tide, some rich girl in a flower dress. She knew all about me, said I had a gift. She thought people like us deserved more.

SKYE: Oh, you deserve more.

MILES: She pointed me to a Chinese S.H.I.E.L.D. feed ... wanted me to cr*ck it.

WARD: You thought that was harmless?

SKYE: I checked the data stream. It didn't seem like anything you and I hadn't already put out there, Skye. And I traced the account where the money came from to make sure it wasn't some evil corporation. It was just an eco-research lab. Otherwise, I would never—

WAD: Ecological research?

MILES: Yeah, insects, some study with centipedes.

Skye and Ward have a full-on conversation with the looks they give each other.

MILES: What's more harmless than that?

INT: Centipede lab. Chan is running on a treadmill. Outside the room, Raina watches him and speaks to someone.

[beeping]

RAINA: It appears the volatility in the serum has been neutralized.

WOMAN: I'm surprised you got him to cooperate.

RAINA: He has dreams. I told him they'd come true.

We see that the woman is the doctor, Debbie, from the whole Mike situation in 1x01.

DEBBIE: [sighs] You gave him a name, didn't you?

RAINA: Everyone wants to be remembered.

Debbie picks up a tablet with data about Chan. It now includes that his codename is Scorch.

DEBBIE: Mm. Well, thank god no one's gonna have to actually call him that.

RAINA: You were right. The platelets in his blood prevent the extremis in the serum from combusting.

DEBBIE: That's fantastic. The others will be pleased. Good work, Raina. Now drain him.

She walks out.

[door closes]

Raina hits a button that pumps gas into the room that Chan is in. He passes out.

[Raina sighs]

INT: Bus briefing room. The g*ng (sans Skye) gathers.

COULSON: It appears Centipede is responsible for Mr. Chan's kidnapping.

WARD: First L.A., now Hong Kong. What kind of organization are we dealing with?

COULSON: International, well-financed, interested in creating a super soldier. Let's hope finding Mr. Chan will provide some answers. Using the account information Mr. Lydon gave us, S.H.I.E.L.D. HQ believes he's being held here.

He points to a place on the map showing up on the table monitor.

MAY: Any ideas what Centipede wants with Chan?

FITZ: Hard to say, but Simmons thinks that considering he's pyrokinetic—

SIMMONS: There's a good chance his genetics could stabilize the Extremis element of the Centipede serum.

Fitz pushes his hands together as if holding an imaginary squeezy stress ball.

FITZ: Keep their test subjects from going—

SIMMONS: Boom!

Fitz moves his hands as if creating a miniature expl*si*n.

COULSON: If Mr. Chan is Centipede's lab rat, we need to get there before the experiment's over.

INT: Centipede lab. Chan is strapped to a chair.

CHAN: This is no test. This is t*rture.

[whirring] as his seat raises.

DEBBIE: Thank you for your participation. Our group really owes you one.

She removes a syringe from a machine.

CHAN: I won't let you.

[grunts]

[screaming] as he conjures some fire.

[gasping]

His hand is burnt.

CHAN: What have you done?

DEBBIE: We don't understand what gave you this ability, but the reason you don't burn is because your blood platelets are fire-resistant.

RAINA: Which is why we're removing them.

Debbie puts the syringe into some sort of canister.

DEBBIE (to Raina): Take this upstairs.

Debbie and Raina start to exit.

CHAN: Raina, you said I have a gift.

RAINA: And you're giving it.

CHAN: Raina! Raina!!!

INT: Bus cargo hold. Ward is playing with his g*n.

[g*n cocks]

COULSON: Agent May and I will be handling the field work. You stay and oversee the prisoners.

WARD: Sir? I was Skye's S.O. It was my responsibility —

COULSON: It was my call to bring Skye onto the plane, and you warned me against it. My problem. I fix it.

INT: Cage

MILES: I'm sorry. I honestly didn't know.

SKYE: All our talks ... did you mean none of it? I risked everything to help you, and it turns out every word out of your mouth since we met is total crap!

MILES: That's not true.

SKYE: Democratization of knowledge, "the truth will set you free." The truth sure as hell came out.

MILES: I believe in all those things. I just don't know why they have to go hand in hand with barely scraping by. Come on, Skye. You lived in your van for the last two years.

SKYE: Now you're making fun of my van?

MILES: I could have funded us for years ... us. So you wouldn't have to sacrifice your principles, joining this corrupt institution to find what you're looking for. And what's wrong with me trying to do that?

SKYE: I'll tell you what's wrong with that. An innocent guy might die — for money.

MILES: You know I'd never intentionally hurt anyone. I'm just trying to get my life together. At least you know what you're looking for. Me? I don't have that. For a long time, I thought it was you. I guess I was wrong.

SKYE: I guess so.

EXT: Centipede lab building. May, Coulson, and Kwan are there, as well as some soldiers/agents.

COULSON: Building has five floors. The first four are research. Fifth is listed as maintenance but uses half the building's energy.

KWAN: Either they're guarding the world's largest vacuum...

COULSON: Or that's where Chan's being held. Send your "B" and "C" teams in through the tunnels to secure the lower floors. Warn them that the Centipede serum's highly expl*sive.

KWAN: Understood. Where do we go in?

May sh**t a grappling hook up.

[whirring]

COULSON: The roof.

INT: Centipede building

May goes down a hallway with another soldier. Coulson and Kwan follow. May has a machine in her hand that she seems to be following.

[beeps, whirrs]

MAY: There. Heat signature confirmed.

They go down the hallway. May hands him a device.

COULSON: I love these things.

He presses the device against the door.

[beeps]

[small expl*si*n]

Lock breaks. May kicks down the door (very badass, very hot). May rushes into the lab where Chan is. Guards are there. They fight.

[grunting, impact noises]

May wins.

CHAN: Agent Kwan... it's you.

KWAN: We're here to get you out.

[monitor beeping]

A Centipede lab tech in a hazmat suit hits a red button.

[alarm blaring]

The readout on the wall says: LOCKDOWN. Doors start to shut all over the building. The lab member who initiated the lockdown gets ready to swing a piece of pipe at Coulson, but Coulson knocks him out.

COULSON (into comms): Strike team needs a security override, stat. Kwan, can you arrange —

Coulson turns around to see Kwan with smoke coming out of his mouth and a massive hole in his chest. Chan stands behind him, a syringe of serum stuck into his arm, which he pulls out with a smug smile.

COULSON: Chan, what have you done?

CHAN: I've set myself free.

He sh**t flames towards Coulson, and we black out.

INT: Bus Cage. Ward comes in.

WARD: Coulson's in trouble.

Ward undoes Skye's handcuffs.

INT: Centipede lab

CHAN: Aaaah!

Chan's arms are scorched up to his elbows. Coulson and May are hiding behind shelving units.

COULSON: Mr. Chan, I know you're in pain.

CHAN: This is nothing. You were the ones k*lling me, forcing me to keep this gift locked up inside.

MAY [in Cantonese]: Chan, I'm sorry you lived a life you didn't want, but v*olence will solve nothing.

CHAN [in Cantonese]: It will keep me from being kept a prisoner. By you, by them, there’s no difference. I was given this gift for a reason. To burn bright.

MAY: There’s no turning back.

CHAN: I don’t want to go back!

May gives Coulson a disappointed look.

COULSON [in English]: So we're good, right?

INT: Bus briefing room. Fitz-Simmons, Ward, and Skye stand around the tabletop monitor. Simmons looks like she's having a minor-league panic-att*ck-cum-migraine. Skye is tapping on the table. Miles is there, too, cuffed.

SKYE: The entire facility's been locked down.

FITZ: Are you sure about this?

WARD: No.

MILES (to Skye): This is pretty cool.

She rolls her eyes, summarily ignoring him.

SKYE: The alarms disconnected the system from all exterior servers.

WARD: Can you fix it or not?

SKYE: Yes, but you've got to get me on-site.

Both Ward and Miles pull a face.

MILES (at the same time as Ward): No way.

WARD (at the same time as Miles): Not a chance.

The two men stare at each other, engaged in a battle of eyeball dominance. Think Spike and Angel re: Drusilla.

MILES: You're a hacker, Skye, not Seal team 6.

SKYE: No. (incling her head towards Ward) But he is.

INT: Centipede lab

Chan is [screaming in pain] while hurling fire at May and Coulson.

MAY: His file say anything about him being homicidal?

COULSON: Just said he was kind of a tool. [louder] Mr. Chan, believe it or not, this can still get worse.

CHAN: You bend someone long enough and they break. Poor little Chan Ho Yin may have believed your lies, but not Scorch.

MAY: Who?

COULSON: Oh, crap. They gave him a name.

Coulson whips out a night-night g*n.

COULSON: Get me a clean look. I'll make sure he wakes up in a S.H.I.E.L.D. containment facility.

MAY: Waking is optional at this point.

May jumps in front of Chan, getting his attention. Just as he's about to throw fire and as Coulson is about to sh**t, he notices Coulson.

[wall of fire burns into existence]

[night-night g*n f*ring]

The b*ll*ts incinerate on impact.

COULSON: I'm out.

Chan drops the flame shield and runs at Coulson, who makes haste away from him.

CHAN: Nothing can stop me!

MAY (into comms): Where are we on the doors?

INT: Centipede building. Ward is fighting guards. Skye is next to him, trying her very best not to get k*lled dead in the face.

WARD (into comms): Almost there.

Fighting. Ward saves Skye from an assailant. They run off together.

INT: yet another hallway in the Centipede building. Debbie the doctor is talking to someone on her cellphone.

DEBBIE (into phone): S.H.I.E.L.D. has infiltrated the building. No, it's under control.

Raina, pushing a dolly, walks up behind Debbie as Debbie hangs up.

RAINA: Didn't want to tell them? Chan's true nature has revealed itself.

DEBBIE: Without his platelets, the serum will combust.

RAINA: Wouldn't be the first one to blow up on you. I'm beginning to think you're bad luck.

INT: computer server area of the Centipede building. Skye is at a terminal and Ward is helicopter-S.O.'ing her.

[rapid typing]

WARD: How long is this gonna take?

SKYE: Done.

COULSON (over radio, and then on him in the Centipede lab): Doors are unlocked. (to May) Where's Chan?

MAY: He's gone.

COULSON: Damn it.

[night-night g*n f*ring down and being holstered]

MAY: That tranquilizer was his last chance. You know that.

COULSON: I know. It's time to minimize the damage.

He walks further into the lab and stops in front of a case holding the serum.

COULSON (into comms): Simmons... are the building's computers back online?

[computer beeps]

SIMMONS: Yes.

COULSON: Uncuff Miles. We're gonna need his help.

Miles smirks smarmily and holds up his cuffed hands. Fitz-Simmons share a "f*ck my life" look.

Back in the building, Raina gets into an elevator. Debbie follows. Chan shows up behind her.

CHAN: You!!!

Chan is violently burnt. Debbie rushes towards the elevator.

[elevator bell dings]

RAINA: I wish you all the best.

The elevator doors close. Debbie is left outside.

DEBBIE: [panting] Please, look, we can fix you... make you stronger, take the name Scorch and make it mean something.

CHAN (kneeling): It already does.

He sends fire sh**ting across the floor towards her.

[screaming]

She is b*rned alive, and his burns get even worse. Then, Coulson shows up at the end of the hallway behind Chan.

COULSON Mr. Chan, we don't want to hurt you...

Chan turns to face him.

COULSON: ...but we have to.

May comes up behind Chan and shoves two syringes into his back. He collapses to the ground.

COULSON: We gotta move!

They leave Chan on the floor and take off. Chan starts to shake as fire breaks open his skin.

Back in the Bus briefing room, Miles stands over the table monitor.

[computer beeping]

SIMMONS: You need to drive the blast into the main ventilation shaft.

FITZ: Yeah, and on up to the roof.

[beeping continues]

Doors and windows close both on the monitor and in the building. Chan glows brighter. Coulson, May, Ward, and Skye all rush out of the building and cross the street.

[expl*si*n]

WARD: Skye managed to extract some files from the building's mainframe. It's not much, but could get us a fix on Centipede.

COULSON: Maybe.

WARD: You can't save someone from themselves, sir.

COULSON: You can if you get to them early enough.

Skye looks away from him, ashamed.

EXT: Bus at an airport, and then INT: Bus cargo hold. Coulson is holding a small box out to Miles.

COULSON: You've got two choices ... take what's in this box, or we put you in a slightly bigger one.

MILES: You want to give me a hint?

Coulson clearly does not. Miles opens the box. Inside is a small silver bracelet.

MILES: What's it do?

COULSON: Whatever we tell it to do.

He puts it onto Miles' wrist.

[bracelet clicks and then fires up]

COULSON: I'd try to avoid any unlawful activity, and I think you'll find it hard to use electronic devices for a while.

[box closes]

COULSON: You can go now.

MILES: Cool, but we're still in Hong Kong.

COULSON: [laughs a little] Yep.

MILES: I live in Austin, Texas.

COULSON: I know. Oh, and Agent Kwan's family thanks you for the anonymous donation. (to Skye) My office.

Coulson goes upstairs. Skye goes over to Miles.

MILES: So, you plan to stay?

SKYE: If they let me.

MILES: You've changed.

SKYE: Good.

MILES: I mean, you're not who you used to be.

SKYE: And you're not who I thought you were.

MILES: I hope you find what you're looking for.

[footsteps] as Miles exits the Bus and Skye goes upstairs.

INT: lounge area on the Bus. May is at the bar, pouring a drink.

[drink being poured]

WARD: Make it a double.

MAY: Is there any other kind?

Skye walks up behind them.

SKYE: So, I'm going to Coulson's office now. (to Ward) I figured you might want to be there, being my S.O. and all.

WARD: I'm off the clock.

SKYE: Right. Okay, then.

Ward nods at her, and she goes.

INT: Coulson's office on the Bus

Skye comes in and sits down.

SKYE: I didn't want anything to —

COULSON: Stop lying. Since the moment you stepped foot on this plane, you've been lying to my face, to all of us.

SKYE: No, I haven't —

COULSON: You're lying now! I stood up for you to my team down there. And some of us started to believe in you, risked our lives for you.

SKYE: I ... [she sighs]

COULSON: Why are you here?! You've been keeping something from us... this whole time. And it wasn't just a boyfriend. You have a secret, Skye, and one chance to come out with it. That's now, or I'm done with you.

There's a pause. Skye reaches into her bra and pulls out the card she's had since we first saw her put it in there in 1x01. She sets it on Coulson's desk.

COULSON: What is this?

SKYE: It's everything I have.

COULSON: On us?

Skye looks up, tearful.

SKYE: On me. [deep breath] [voice breaking] That's why I learned to cr*ck systems, why I joined the Rising Tide ...

Coulson puts the card into his computer, which [beeps]

SKYE: ... to find any details I could about my parents.

[computer beeps]

On Coulson's monitor, the contents of the SD card pop up. There are pictures without faces and a letter to St. Agnes Orphanage (largely blacked out) with a S.H.I.E.L.D. stamp on it that says "CLASSIFIED: [REDACTED] 04-23-89". What we can read says: “Medical examination results regarding female infant [REDACTED] dropped off at St. Agnes Orphanage on [REDACTED]. The infant was found to have [REDACTED] expressing minimal [REDACTED]. No [REDACTED]. Notes filed by the resident pediatrician indicate [REDACTED]. Blood pressure: Normal Nutrition: Normal. Indication of Hearth Disease: None. Heart Rate: Normal. Checked for injuries or indications of [REDACTED] no malnutrition. To see the records regarding the situations discussed in this document, please contact [REDACTED].

SKYE [nearly crying]: There's nothing. No records. There's no trace of them. My lifelong search has led to a single document — redacted.

COULSON: By S.H.I.E.L.D.

SKYE: No matter what you do, I'll never stop looking.

COULSON: You might not like what you find.

SKYE: It can't be worse than what I've imagined.

COULSON: Maybe I can help.

[Skye inhales shakily]

But this is, of course, a disciplinary meeting, and discipline must be exacted. He pulls out another box with another bracelet in it. Skye takes it as he walks out of the office.

[bracelet beeps, clicks]

AoS logo end card.

INT: A jail. Raina is visiting, speaking over the phone/through glass to a prisoner.

PRISONER: Well, you know I'm not going to do the talking.

RAINA: The doctor is dead.

PRISONER: About time.

RAINA: Well, she did find a solution to our... combustion problem. We believe we'll soon have stable subjects. On to stage two.

PRISONER: That mean my situation's going to improve any?

RAINA: Well, other problems have surfaced — resurfaced, I should say. The S.H.I.E.L.D. unit in Hong Kong — we've encountered them before. They... took our subject off the map in Los Angeles.

PRISONER: Not much I can do about that in here. So that's not why I'm getting the visit.

RAINA: We would like you to touch base with the Clairvoyant. See if any insights can be given... on stage three.

PRISONER: The Clairvoyant doesn't like to be touched.

RAINA: We all have to do things that make us uncomfortable if we are ever to get our toy soldiers off the shelf. (she smiles) You know that better than any of us.

She stands.

PRISONER: I like your dress.

RAINA: I know.

Raina puts down the phone and walks away.